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The thought of having millions in his bank account, a future with wife and kids, the screaming adulation of fans, his name like a chant on everyone’s lips— these are probabilities 25-year-old Prateek Kuhad has never really paid attention to. That he is one of the frontrunners of the independent music wave of this country takes a backseat when it comes to him and his music. All this recluse wishes to do is be in a room, away from the madding crowds, and write and compose the music he wants to. Shantanu Pandit, 22, is no different. Self-taught and a one-man army-like Kuhad, Pandit, too, finds peace in his own company, and rarely indulges in the tensions of tomorrow. For 20-somethings Khalid Ahmed and Kashif Iqbal of the four-member band ‘Parvaaz’, playing the music of their land and people stumps everything else. Together, they represent the growing tribe of indie musicians, miles away from the glaring beats of popular mainstream Bollywood music, their voices a rage across the youth constantly in search of new tunes to hum along.
For them, it’s what comes naturally and organically to them that works. “Music was never a conscious decision, it just happened,” says a quiet Kuhad, finding his true calling and voice while pursuing math and economics in New York back in 2010.
Experiments with solo shows cemented his love for the medium, and soon he was writing, composing and performing contemporary folk from the UK and US. Apart from playing at international festivals such as Bacardi NH7 Weekender, VH1 Emerge, and Ziro, Kuhad is now touring with his first official album, ‘In Tokens & Charms’.
“It’s a collection of 10 of my own favourite songs I penned over the years,” says Kuhad. Where his music explores the layers to love and relationships, Pandit, who too sings in English like Kuhad, talks about growing and independence through his ‘quiet and organic folk’ music.
Their songs are their expressions, reflections of their time, age and exposure.
They agree that the Internet has taken indie music to a whole new level and “unlike previous generation, we are much more secure and sorted,” feels Pandit, who released his EP, ‘Skunk in the Cellar’, recently.
Meanwhile, the boys from Parvaaz, who are performing for the first time in city, reconnected with their Kashmiri roots in Bangalore.
“We had gone for our education there, and started jamming,” says Ahmed, who formed the band with childhood pal Iqbal, Fidel D’Souza and Sachin Banandur four years back.
Theirs is a sound that has been described as a blend of blues, rock, and psychedelia, with Kashmiri and Urdu lyrics. Their songs speak of experience and ideas, and explore traditional literature through Kashmiri and Urdu poetry. They also bagged the Toto Award for Music last year.
“Had we been in Kashmir, we probably would’ve never formed a band. Such things happen in places where there is an energy and environment created to encourage the same. Bangalore with its diverse culture and love for music is perfect,” says Iqbal.
Out with their EP ‘Behosh’ and debut album ‘Baran’ (rain), Parvaaz, too, is touring to promote their work. Borrowing from the works of Kashmiri poets such as Mahjood and Allama Iqbal, Iqbal and Ahmed feel that their music flows in their mother tongue.
“To sing in English would be forcing ourselves to disconnect. With Urdu, we feel more rooted, and closer to folk flavour,” says Iqbal, embracing the new wave of independence.
The Indie Fest is on till September 14 at Whistling Duck.
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